Chap. I. An Expofition upon the Book,of J OB. Verf. 5. againft the third day, come not of your wives, and there are other the like places, i Sam. 21. q,. The Prieft faid, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread, if theyoung men have kept themfelves at lea(tfrom women; If they have but that outward preparation : the meaning is, if they had kept them- felves from theirWives ; David affirms it was fo, in the words following. The A.poftle giveth the fame Rule in i Cor. 7. 5, (peaking of that point , Defraud not one another (faith he) ex- cept it be with colnt for a time, that you may give your felvès to FaftingandPrayer. So that th Holy Ghoft therein intimates fuch an abftaining as was preparatory to folemra duties, thatyou may give your ¡elves to fatting and prayer ; extraordinary duties call for cxtraytrdinary preparations. Thfe outward preparations were fo necei ary, that when the people failed in them, Hezekiab prayed for pardon, 2 Chron. 3o. 18, 19. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart `to feekGod, the Lord God of his .Fathers, ,though he be not cleanfed according to the purification of the Sanctuary : though their hearts wereupright,though they had hearts rightly prepared,yet he prayeth that Godwould pardon the want of thole outward preparations. The principal preparation is of theheart, and the wafhing ofour ways : therefore we find hów the Lord contendethwith them, in Ifa. z. to, re, t c, where he fpeaks of thofe oblations and great fervices of the Jews, Ihate your foiemnfeafts, bring no more vain oblations, &c. Why ? your J .7.8, 9. hands (fed. your Jives) arefull of blood, waft ye, make you clean, put away the evil ofyour doingsfrom before mine eyes, ceafe to do evill, learn to do well, &c. As if he fhould fay, What do you come to mein theft: holy duties ? except you prepare and fit your felves accordingly,I cannot abide that unholy perlons fhould come about holy things. re Genitor ca- The very Heathen had this Notion, they would notadmit any Pe facra Tams to come to their Religious Services, unleffe they were prepared. pairrofquc pe- That laying of 1Eneas in the Poet to his Father when he carne n'tcs' from the War, is a clear roof; - Tu Genitor, &c. Father do I fé be1Gex- p , cento dìgralfum you meddle with the Sacrifices , but as for me it is a finful ryGedererenri thing to touch them-- -till I have wafhed my felf in the foun .adttreaare ne- tain. This was an outward external right amongft them for clean- fcr,doatecme fn themfelves. The very Heathen law they muff not meddle Stowe vìvo g " Y Abloero.virg. with their holy things till they were cleanfed, therefore they had z, knead. one that cryed out to the people when they came to facrifice ; All:
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